Steam-engine



(No Model.)

J. L. GOURLEY. STEAM ENGINE.

No. 520,757. Patented May 29, 1894.

UNITE Eric.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,757, dated May 29,1894.

Application filed March 28, 1893. Serial No. 463,044. No model.)

To 01. whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN L. GOURLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tarentum, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSteam-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be'a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to an improved high speed engine, and consists in areciprocating piston, operating along the length of a journaled pistonrod, a right and left spiral groove formed on said rod, and suitablemeans of connection between the said piston and rod, whereby a rotarymovement is imparted to the said rod by the back and forward movement ofthe piston, together with the certain details of construction, andcombination, of parts as will be fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a side sectional elevation ofmy improved high speed engine, partly in outside elevation, which isconstructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is anenlarged side sectional elevation of a portion of the piston, showingthe rod and its connecting parts. Fig. 3 is a face view of one of theclutches attached to the piston surrounding the rod, and at either sidethereof. Fig. 4 is a central section, partly in elevation of one of thethimbles operating along the length of the piston rod, having a ratchetclutch formed on one of its ends. Fig. 5 is a face view of the same.

adapted to move in the direction of the lengthof the said cylinder, andloosely connected to the rod 3 in a manner hereinafter described. Thispiston 2 is prevented from turning by means of two rods 17 rigidlyattached on either side of the same, and projecting through stuffingboxes 18 formed on the headsof the cylinder 1. Attached to the piston bybolts or screws 13 is a ratchet, consisting of a disk adapted to fitinto a recess formed in the piston surrounding the rod, and having aninner flange provided with ratchet teeth 8, and an outside flange 10,provided With a female thread for the reception of one end of a tube orpipe surrounding the said rod 3. One of these ratchets constructed asdescribed is fitted about the piston rod 3 at each side of the piston 2,and are adapted to engage with right and left ratchet thimbles 6. Formedspirally about the piston rod 3 are two grooves 1 and 5, each extendingthe length of the cylinder 1; the one formed spirally to the right, andthe other to the left. These spiral grooves 4-5 engage with splines 9formed in the interior of the thimbles 6, and each of the'said thimblesis provided at its inner face with ratchet teeth 7, to engage with theteeth of the stationary ratchets before described. These thimbles 6 areloosely arranged between the two stationary or fixed ratchets, and havesufficient room to disengage themselves one at a time by the back andforward movement of the piston 2. Fitted over the rod 3 at either sideof the piston 2, and attached by screw threads to the stationaryratchets, are two tubes 11, neatly fitted about the said rod 3, andprojecting through the stuffing-boxes 1S, and of a proper length toremain at all times within the said boxes 18. These tubes reciprocatewith the piston 2, and afford a means for making steam tight connectionswith the cylinder heads. Pivoted to one of the rods 17 for preventingthe rotation of the piston 2 is a connecting link 25, the other end ofwhich is connected to a long crank 19 to operate the slide valve 21.Arranged at each end of the piston rod 3, is a bearing 14, which willpermit the said rod to revolve, but prevent any movement in thedirection of its length.

In operation steam is admitted through the inlet pipe 22 into the steamchest, and the piston 2 given a reciprocating movement the entire lengthof the cylinder 1 in a manner well known to the art. At each forwardmovement of the piston 2 to the right, the thimble clutch 6 at the rearengages with its fixed clutch 8, and in moving along the groove 5,revolves the rod 3, and when reaching the end of the stroke in thatdirection, releases the said clutch 6 and engages the other. This lastmentioned clutch will move to engage with its fixed clutch at the otherside of the piston 2, and it operating in the other spiral groove 4,will continue the rotation of the rod 3 in the same direction, therebygiving the said rod 3 a continuous rapid rotary movement by the back andforward movement of the piston 2.

The grooves 4-6, may be formed spirally any number of times about therod 3-for example, if the grooves each make three complete turns aboutthe rod 3, the same will revolve three times to each single stroke ofthe piston 2, making six revolutions to each double exhaust. It will beseen from the above example that the rod 3 may be speed ed to any numberof revolutions per minute desired. For light work the pitch of thesegrooves may be made heavy, and the cylinder short, and for heavy workthe cylinder long, and the pitch light.

This engine constructed as described is adapted to be connected todynamos, and other apparatus requiring a high speed, and is connecteddirect to such devices by means of a suitable clutch, and as a largenumber of revolutions may be obtained from each single stroke of thepiston, the saving of steam and fuel over the ordinary steam engine,will be a large item in the expense of operating the same.

Another advantage derived from the use of an engine constructed asdescribed, is-the great power obtained, as the principle used is that ofthe wedge or screw.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

A steam engine consisting of the cylinder fitted with a steam chest andvalve, and means for operating the same the piston 2 provided with rightand left clutches, the right and left spirally grooved rod 3operated bysaid clutches, a casing or covering 11 arranged over said rod andprojecting through the stuffing boxes 18, the rods to prevent the pistonfrom turning, and to operate the steam valve, and the bearings arrangedat either side of the cylinder to support the rod 3, all arranged andcombined for service, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto my signature this17th day of March, A. D. 1893.

JOHN L. GOURLEY.

In presence of JOHN G. THOMPSON, L. E. HARRISON.

